Amanda Products [USA]

ENGINEER PASS COLORADO – A BUCKET LIST TRIP

24-minute YouTube video by Mountain State Overland Jason says “It’s been a big kind of goal in my career to make a story, to get this far west and then tell the story along the way.” DAY ONE – RESTING UP Their first day is spent on their friend Jim Browning’s amazing property on a stream in a canyon outside Lake City. They need their rest because the following day they'll be tackling the Alpine Loop. Dinner is the Jalapeno version of their favorite burger. Jason explains “There’s nothing like making it over an open fire.” The recipe for crunch wrap sauce is shared as they prepare. Note the pentagonal fold; the edges will be sealed with cheese. “This is definitely a fun meal to cook if you’re got time and especially if you’ve got a couple people to help cook… We’ve got three people eating, two people cooking, one guy on camera and we are having the times of our life here in Lake City Colorado.” DAY TWO – THE ALPINE LOOP “We’ve got a good team.” But at 10,000 ft. Jason confesses to a little nervousness about the unknown. Eric says “I don’t really know what to expect besides the videos that we’ve seen and the pictures that we’ve seen and the research we’ve done.” He finds driving the Jeep instead of the Tacoma “is quite fun honestly, it feels like a high power Go-Kart with the diesel in there. It’s got a lot of torque, but it’s been a lot of fun just driving it offroad. It feels more natural on gravel roads than it does on pavement and I’m sure that’s what it’s designed for.” Ben explains that Eric was [...]

Micki LeCronier2024-04-17T22:00:35-04:00December 29, 2023|

WHEN THANKSGIVING BECOMES ‘FRIENDSGIVING’

Enjoy Adventure Anywhere ‘s 19-minute video of 'Thanksgiving campout on the Manistee River in Northern Michigan' YOU FORGOT WHAT?Their daughter introduces the YouTube video and expresses initial disappointment that they forgot the Smores. All is forgotten when she wanders into the woods. “I found this stream and this kind of neat forest area… It’s really pretty. Gorgeous, actually. See, all you got to do is go in nature and just look and you’ll find beautiful things. Pretty neat, huh?”Pretty neat indeed.She examines the stump of a tree that’s been cut. She wants to learn more ‘nature facts.’GAMES ENSUEOne features toilet paper and wieners. Quantity of wieners is a concern, so alternatives are discussed. Rules are explained. Followed by a game featuring candy corn and chopsticks. Dad struggles. COOKING BEGINS“So we are out here on the Manistee River camping, doing a Friendsgiving or early Thanksgiving celebration. We all brought some food to share and we’re just hanging out for the weekend.” LEAVING IT BETTER THAN THEY FOUND IT Young Nature Lover goes into the woods to do some cleanup. She found two beer bottles, one soup can, old mosquito spray and more. Dad praises her. “Nice of you to clean when we’re out camping, huh!” She responds “Yeah, you always want to leave where you camp better than it looks.” She goes off to find more and explains how cut metal from cans can harm woodland animals. Dead wood is cut for the evening fire.THE CASE OF THE GIANT PANCAKEThe following morning the Nature Lover sees a giant pan and suggests – what else - a giant pancake. It takes five people to flip it. No, wait - they have to call for backup. Hesitation [...]

Micki LeCronier2024-04-17T21:38:47-04:00November 23, 2023|

TRAIL HERO 2023

Another Epic Jeep Adventure’ 17-minute video by BrainyHead - no narration, only breathtaking video TRAIL HERO is all about community outreach programs and charitable efforts. This year’s action-packed event took place from 10/1 to 10/8 at Sand Hollow State Park in Hurricane, Utah. The off-roading event “focuses on trail riding and rock crawling across amazing landscapes with large mountainscape backdrops.” Learn more at thetrailhero.com ABOUT SAND HOLLOW STATE PARK “In the middle of the Greater Zion desert are several water oases, and Sand Hollow State Park is one of those crowning jewels. Whether it’s summer or our mild winters, this 20,000-acre park offers a little of everything – from sitting on the soft, orange shore to diving into emerald green waters to tearing it up on the sand dunes.” Learn more about Sand Hollow State Park at stateparks.utah.gov https://youtu.be/j4jIIai9GEY?si=7a2Ewd6aG2h7IU6w

Micki LeCronier2024-04-17T21:15:42-04:00October 27, 2023|

‘HOW HARD CAN IT BE?!’

Things get messy on the Kentucky Adventure Tour 47-minute YouTube Video by Ozark Overland Adventures Matt begins reporting “from a field somewhere in southern Kentucky.” Not far from Williamsburg. The group consists of 12 rigs on a on a four day trip with Brad from Goxplorusa. The Kentucky Adventure Tour, or ‘KAT’ is a 1,000 mile trip around eastern Kentucky. “Absolutely beautiful” - Matt describes it as “a mixture of trails, technical trails, Forest Service roads, county roads, as little highway as possible… it takes you through some breathtaking scenery.” The one challenge is finding disbursed camping. (‘Disbursed camping’ means little to no services.) “For a group our size, we need to reserve space.” Their plan for this day will include gorgeous water crossings. Matt’s looking forward to it. First stop: CUMBERLAND FALLS He highly recommends a visit. “It is a state park and it is GORGEOUS, absolutely beautiful. It’s free to get in and not far from the KAT.” ROCK CREEK CAMPGROUND This is their last night, they’re at a private campground. Matt’s frustrated by the lack of primitive camping but likes the location. “Everybody just piled in here, there’s lots of room. It’s nice and flat with hammocks back here in the trees.” After a delicious dinner, they hang out and get to know each other better. They say rain will be moving in. Matt’s trying out a new portable air conditioner as they settle in for the night. “It’s a little bit cheaper than Zero Breeze and it has a slightly bigger battery.” The following morning, they’re happy to say “It worked really good.” Brad's group leaves camp. They will continue for at least half a day. “THIS LOOKS DANGEROUS.” Matt's intrigued [...]

Micki LeCronier2024-04-17T21:01:15-04:00September 30, 2023|

HITTING JEEP BADGE OF HONOR TRAILS

At Rubicon Ridge; 11-Minute You-Tube Video by #dirtybunchjeepclub and #bestlifeadventurechannel In this video you’ll learn what Jeep Badge of Honor Trails are all about and enjoy: The Rubicon Ridge Jeep Badge of Honor Trail. Hot Springs Off Road Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas; “If you’ve not seen the Hot Springs Off Road Park before, be prepared to be impressed, it is a great place. If you are familiar with the park, we think you are really going to enjoy our take on it.” Learn more at hotspringsoffroadpark dot com You can get trail maps at the park entrance, store or website. (They used Gaia GPS to track the trail as they moved along.) “TRULY A BADGE OF HONOR” Jeep Badge of Honor Trails are trails where badges can be earned from Jeep Corporation. Use the Jeep Badge of Honor app to check in at the trailhead. When you’ve completed the trail, Jeep will send your badge. Find details at Jeep dot com. ABOUT RUBICON RIDGE Rubicon Ridge has a trail rating of 3-6 – which is “roughly in the moderate rating area.” The difficulty depends on weather and ground conditions. “Loose gravel can make this interesting.” “As you near the end of the trail, it climbs steeply upward. The last quarter mile or so is all uphill” and requires some climbing. STOP TO ENJOY THE OVERLOOK! “This has been a great day. We’ve earned three Jeep Badges of Honor; those are going on the Jeep as soon as we get home! We’ve ordered them, they should be there shortly.” https://youtu.be/XDKPlk8BwfY?si=_0ZNPD-Mn0aVNGPR

Micki LeCronier2024-04-17T15:20:57-04:00August 26, 2023|

THE BEST BUDGET CAMPING SLEEPING SETUP

‘Deep Sleep 4 Jeep!’ 7-minute YouTube Video by #dieseJL We’ve talked about tents vs. rooftop tents … but we haven’t talked custom mattresses. We heard good things about DEEPSLEEP4JEEPS and found a video where dieseJL tested one in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. He describes it as: “THE BEST BUDGET OPTION for camping in your JL” During his personal test, dieseJL said: “I’m 6’ tall and my feet don’t touch!’ “Doesn’t take long to blow up with the air pump!” “Provides maximum sleeping area!” “THE COOLEST THING IS THE PRICE." "You can have a good sleeping situation in your JL for under $200. That’s incredible. And it’s super easy to set up – 15 or 10 minutes to set up. Roll it out, blow it up, put your screens up.” “Super comfy, super cheap. Any decent sized human being can sleep like a king.” ABOUT STORAGE He suggests finding a safe place to store your gear. In the comments, a viewer suggested “You may be able to add a roof rack for about $200 or so and something to put your cargo there, that should be a good alternative to a Roof tent. which would be somewhere around $2k-$4k.” Bottom line - “THIS THING IS PRETTY EPIC” It’s not big enough for them and their two dogs, but he feels for two people, it’s the way to go. Please see the comments with questions and answers on his YouTube page. https://youtu.be/CBFQjAZQ8fg?si=z6ifkg9xmAGzpK3X

Micki LeCronier2024-04-17T14:22:01-04:00July 15, 2023|

ARE ROOFTOP TENTS WORTH IT?

They spent 6 nights in the desert to find out. Article by Kai Burkhardt of CNN Underscored June 28, 2023 Kai is a long-time tent camper who wanted to know: Rooftop tents “promise a more comfortable sleep experience and ultimate convenience, however, with a price tag of thousands of dollars ... Are rooftop tents worth it?” He mounted a Thule Approach M to his vehicle, drove from Boulder to Moab and camped in the desert to find out. He begins his review by explaining the general advantages of rooftop tents: They’re engineered to handle highway speeds. You sleep ‘up and away’ from the ground. They’re often easier to set up and take down. He discusses soft-shell vs hard-shell rooftop tents and ‘what to consider’ before clicking ‘add to cart.’ HIGHLIGHTS: WHAT HE LIKED ABOUT THE THULE APPROACH “Assembling my ground tent took 7 minutes 20 seconds while the rooftop tent only took 2 minutes 25 seconds.” “It was the best sleep I’ve ever had while camping. The Thule Approach and all other rooftop tents have a built-in mattress that you just can’t compare to an inflatable sleeping pad.” “Another thing I loved about the Thule Approach was just how big its interior was… since it folds out past the roof of your car, there was tons of floor space. I slept in there with my partner and our 45-pound dog.” “Taking down and packing up my traditional tent took 5 minutes 18 seconds and the Approach also took just a bit over 5 minutes.” WHAT HE DIDN’T LIKE “What I didn’t love about the Approach and rooftop tents, in general, was having to haul any gear you wanted in the tent up its ladder. If [...]

Micki LeCronier2024-02-04T00:27:46-05:00June 28, 2023|

‘CUSTOMER TOOK HIS JEEP SWIMMING’

13-minute YouTube video by Matt's Offroad Recovery May 6, 2023 Matt reports a Jeep was 'taking a bath' on the Horseshoe Bend area of the Pipeline Road. Jaymie tags along expecting a super exciting recovery. “I had to come see.” IT’S A TIGHT SQUEEZE GETTING OUT THERE IN THE WRECKER Tom is on the left, Matt’s in the middle and Jaymie is in the driver's seat; Lizzie is OUTSIDE ON THE TOOLBOX. Jaymie gets “a little frisky on the throttle.” She calls out - “You OK Lizzie?” Tom pipes up “I don’t think you could throw Lizzie if you wanted to.” "THIS THING IS BURIED UP TO THE WINDOWS IN WATER" The customer sent Matt a picture. “It looks bad.” Rhett follows in a support vehicle, wearing swimming trunks - ready to get in the water and hook it up. "It's cold!" 'HOW DID IT HAPPEN?' “My grandson said, ‘Drive it in the water Grandpa!’ I thought ‘That’s 16” deep … it was closer to 16 feet!” “Someone already tried to kinetic it out, broke the back window and the light.” Compared to a similar incident, Matt declares “George, somebody’s outdone ya I think! This is deeper!” Rhett and Tom endure a soggy ride back to the yard. Climbing a hill, Tom notes “The Morrvair would have struggled on that, but the wrecker just crawls up this stuff.” Matt slips away for a ‘hair appointment’ as his crew handles another recovery. ENJOY THE COMMENTS One viewer writes “I don’t think there are any words to describe how versatile that wrecker is. It’s amazing.” Another says “Matt's gone Hollywood on us! Misses a recovery because of a ‘hair appointment.’” https://youtu.be/JD0dstGsPco?si=6a3HfAJb0OBJki5T

Micki LeCronier2024-02-04T00:09:46-05:00May 6, 2023|

TRAILRECON DRIVES JEEP CONCEPTS AT MOAB!

35-minute YouTube video by TrailRecon Imagine being invited to take one-of-a-kind concept vehicles out on the trails. This video features conversations with Jeep Senior Vice President Jim Morrison, TFL Creators and Mark Allen, Jeep Head Designer. DAY ONE - “A VERY SPECIAL TRAIL RIDE” It begins with the Jeep Heritage Concept Drive. They’re on Porcupine Rim Trail driving the 2018 concept “Four Speed” – “one of Jeep's previous year concept vehicles that's super lightweight thanks to being stripped down and flanked in carbon fiber.” Porcupine Rim is “Bumpy and lumpy but it’s a fun little trail.” ON DAY TWO they’re at (Brad’s third) Jeep Concept Reveal, where they test drive 2023 Jeep concepts at Moab’s Wipeout Hill. After an inspiring introduction, they "turned us loose and let us take ‘em out on the dirt." VEHICLES INCLUDE: Sublime Green 392 Wrangler concept w/470 horsepower V8 Hot Pink Wrangler Rubicon 4xe w/AccuAir suspension Grand Wagoneer Overland rig w/new 3.0-liter Hurricane Twin Turbo 510 engine Wrangler Rubicon 4xe "Departure" concept w/innovative Mopar rear tube gate Gladiator "Sideburn" Concept in "Solar Flash Yellow" w/added storage Magneto 3.0 w/20% increased useable energy and range and 900 lb-ft of torque And Brad's favorite: “The 1978 Jeep Cherokee 4xe concept” complete with 8-track, ‘beverage kit’ and Gremlin gas cap. “AND IF THAT WEREN’T ENOUGH” Brad gets “the privilege of taking the wheel of a Jeep with a rich history, one that traversed the wilds of South America and the infamous Darien Gap...and it still bears the dents and scratches from that iconic adventure as badges of honor!” https://youtu.be/u6Vw8K_66bU?si=sRYLRFGzkXe-TLtY

Micki LeCronier2024-02-04T00:01:07-05:00April 29, 2023|

AT KOH PREPARING FOR THE WRECKER GAMES

39 minute YouTube Video by Matt’s OffRoad Recovery (Event dates were March 9, 10 & 11) Pre-preparation … CAVING TO PEER PRESSURE Matt drove the wrecker to and through an RV. “Stupid I know, but it was fun. My work here is done. It’s off to Hammertown.” Video shows ‘not-so-solemn’ judges preparing for the event in their own special ways. LIZZY EXPLAINS THE WRECKER GAMES “Each contestant is going to pull an Isuzu Rodeo behind their tow truck going up the Triple 7 Trail.” She gives a shout out to Ballard Auto Wrecking for donating cars and gets to the hard work of preparing them. ROLLING INTO HAMMERTOWN Matt - “We just found out that the trailhead was further than we had fuel for. Don’t judge us.” Caught up with the group around 6:44. Tom - “I know it seems strange we’re out testing our rig the very first minutes at King of the Hammers. We were just making jokes about how we don’t stage recoveries.” Matt pipes in - “We’re about to stage a recovery.” SOMETHING BREAKS AT 14:42 “Matt, you’re leaking something.” He responds - “I’m very disappointed, I’m very sad, I’m upset, I’m chagrined. What are some other things I am?” After a successful recovery “I just ruined that with this. Winch me backwards.” Color drains from the video, mournful music ensues. They put a blast out on Instagram for necessary parts and headed to Hammertown to wait. The part Matt needs “isn’t super common anymore.” So they went shopping for other stuff they needed. “The parts are supposed to be here in the morning. We’re making progress, we just need to be patient.” Video goes to Adam’s Drive Shaft in Las [...]

Micki LeCronier2024-02-03T23:52:10-05:00March 4, 2023|

About Micki LeCronier

ENGINEER PASS COLORADO – A BUCKET LIST TRIP

WHEN THANKSGIVING BECOMES ‘FRIENDSGIVING’

TRAIL HERO 2023

‘HOW HARD CAN IT BE?!’

HITTING JEEP BADGE OF HONOR TRAILS

THE BEST BUDGET CAMPING SLEEPING SETUP

ARE ROOFTOP TENTS WORTH IT?

‘CUSTOMER TOOK HIS JEEP SWIMMING’

TRAILRECON DRIVES JEEP CONCEPTS AT MOAB!

AT KOH PREPARING FOR THE WRECKER GAMES

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